Transforming health systems to improve the lives of women and children

Empowering Pediatricians to Prevent Chronic Disease Across Generations

“…A singular focus on birth outcomes without an emphasis on maternal health has long been criticized. 8 Moreover, the pediatrician can place into perspective the genetic basis for chronic disease that so frequently clouds the potential for environmental modifications even in the presence of genetic risk. Here we extend the proposal to recognize the unique role of the pediatrician in improving the health of the parents over the long-term through chronic disease prevention, which can further improve and reinforce health messages in their own pediatric patients.…”

A systems approach to improving maternal health in the Philippines

“…6 This highly complex, system-level issue must be addressed across the system rather than in isolation from it. [7][8][9][10][11][12] By coordinating actions across different parts of the health system, programmes to improve maternal and neonatal health can increase coverage and reduce barriers to the use of various services. Effective programmes assemble packages of appropriate reforms in each of the six main building blocks of the health system: 1,3 governance of the health sector (to provide sectoral policy and regulatory mechanisms, and partnerships with the private sector); infrastructure and technologies (to provide emergency referral centres linked to primary care providers); human resources (to scale up the availability of skilled attendance); financing (to reduce financial barriers for patients and incentivize providers), and services (to ensure quality and an appropriate configuration of maternal and neonatal health services across all levels of care, including family planning).…”

Assessing National Health Systems: Why and How

“…With increasing recognition of the importance of strong health systems to achieve health outcomes, 31,32 and the complexity and interconnectedness of health systems, 33,34 there is understandably a steadily growing interest in conducting HSAs. Yet because of this breadth of scope and complexity, HSAs may seem intimidating and a major task to take on.…”